Opustená (re)kreácia

SMALL HYDRO POWER STATION

SMALL
HYDRO POWER STATION

author
unknown, 1909

National
historic landmark

It might seem irrelevant
to include the secession building of a small hydro power station in this
catalogue of functionalist architecture in Trenčianske Teplice. Admittedly,
neither the form nor the rendering of the building belong to the category of
modernist architecture. However, its function makes it a part of local
architecture development. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Teplice
was a popular destination to the Hungarian middle-class from big cities.
Regardless of the size of the spa town, services at city-level standards have
always been required by spa guests. It was therefore necessary to build
a street light system. The small hydro power station in the spa park
served to produce energy for the town lighting. The raceway, leading from the
Baračka stream, supposedly got clogged soon and the power station stopped
working. Subsequently, its construction served mainly as a cultural
facility – a park pavilion. The architecture of the power station is no
less interesting. Although it is a secession building, its ornamentality
is minimal. Moreover, the windows illuminating the turbine hall are glazed by
an outstandingly shaped geometric glass, which resembles cubist architecture.
The frontage is ruled by four columns, which line the edges of a trapezial
avant-corps. The columns are crowned by pseudoegyptian lotus heads and small
embedded sea shells, which also decorate the horizontal cornice frieze. The
water elements were not used accidentally, as they directly correspond with the
building´s function. In addition, a built-in fountain – a symbolic
mouth of the viaduct – was part of the frontage. The building is currently
abandoned. After 100 years of existence it does not even serve its alternative
cultural purpose. Yet, together with the evangelical church and sanatorium
Machnáč, the hydro power station remains a valuable part of the
architectural composition of the park.